Computerised placement system unfair to rural dwellers – Bishop

The Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani has called on government to restructure the Computerised School Selection Placement System (CSSPS) because it is an unfair and unjust procedure.

He said the CSSPS as a method for determining entrance to Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the country amounted to a great injustice against Junior High School (JHS) products in deprived rural schools.

The Bishop, therefore, called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to streamline the system for fair-play in the interest of JHS graduates in rural areas.

Most Rev. Gyamfi made the call on Saturday during the commissioning and blessing of the extension blocks of a Ghc1,563,200.00 Gilberto Music Academy/SHS and Girls’ Hostel at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sunyani.

The Music Academy/SHS, comprising Blocks A and B, in addition to a three-storey Gilberto Girls’ Hostel were funded through the instrumentality of the project initiator and supervisor, The Very Reverend Father Martino Corazzin, the Parish Priest.

Most Reverend Gyamfi explained that JHS students from the deprived schools in rural areas were disadvantaged because they did not have equal access to facilities such as computers and other learning materials like their counterparts in the cities and urban centres.

He further contended that the provision of 30 per cent allocation by the CSSPS for enhanced SHS entry opportunities for locals did not justify that the practice was fairly helping rural dwellers and deprived JHSs students to gain admissions to SHSs of their choices.

The Sunyani Catholic Bishop proposed that the GES should increase the 30 per cent allocation to 60 per cent for locals to ensure fair treatment in the admission process, saying that it would not even be fair enough for all stakeholders.

Most Rev. Gyamfi argued that even though “all the schools are not owned by the government” it was the Metropolitan, Municipal and District (MMD) Directors of Education who often did the allocation.

He indicated that some of the schools belonged to the churches and therefore suggested the allocation should be church-based and community-based, depending on the ownership of the SHSs involved.

Most Rev. Gyamfi emphasised that churches should be made responsible for the allocation to their schools through the Managers of their educational units, while for the completely government-owned schools the MMD Directors of GES could do so in consultation with community leaders.

Mr. Paul Evans Aidoo, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, in a speech read for him, commended the Catholic Church for its unique effort and service to humanity, especially in human resource development and the provision of social amenities to improve the lives of the people.

Mr. Aidoo entreated the staff and students to ensure the proper maintenance of the facilities , adding that the facilities provided motivation for effective teaching and learning, hence both tutors and students must work hard for the school to obtain excellent results in their final examinations.

The Very Rev. Fr. Corazzin in a welcome address stated: “I feel it as a moral duty and act of transparency to inform the public about the various sponsors of the buildings commissioned today, so that we may show our appreciation to them with the assurance that we shall remember them in our daily prayers”.

Very Rev. Fr. Corazzin mentioned as financiers the Sacred Heart Parish in Sunyani, Manos Unidas of Madrid, Spain, Kindermissionswerk of Aachen, Germany, the Franciscan Friars in the Sunyani Diocese through local revenues from their existing water projects and some donations of their individual benefactors.

Other sponsors were the Government of Navarra, the City Council of Pamplona, the City Council of Zizur Mayor, the City Council of Berrioplano and the City Council of the Noble Valley of Baztan, all from Navarra in Spain.